Alright everyone, real talk-- College is upon us! It's time to deal with going away from home and being on your own. As a sophomore now, there are some things I wish I knew before I headed off to college. So, for your own enjoyment, I compiled a list of things ranging from the serious to the silly on things I wish I knew before going to college (with some awesome GIFs).
1. Get Familiar With The Campus
You're in a new place that you've never been before. So, you're definitely going to feel, and actually get, lost.
During your free time, get a map and walk around campus. Look for signs of buildings and get familiar with your campus. If you do this before classes, you won't be as lost and won't be late for class.
2. Don't Spend Too Much Time Crushing
So, you're gonna meet a lot of people, and some of those people might catch your eye. It's fine and fun to have a crush you can gush about to your friends, but you have to remember why you're here- education! Focus on yourself and your studies at least 70% of the time instead of thinking about your crush(es).
Crushes won't matter when you get that degree!
3. Control Your Eating
You're away from your family, and you have access to a dining hall that will probably have desserts and soda. So, there's no one but yourself that can stop yourself from eating and drinking all that junk.
I'm not saying that you should diet but to just be aware of what you're eating. If you find yourself eating lots of junk, maybe balance it out with a few veggies and fruits.
4. Ask For Help
I was never the kind of student to ask for help. From elementary to high school, I didn't ask for help that much, so I thought I could do the same in college. Nope! It wasn't until I mentally broke down (sometimes in front of my professors) that I knew I needed help with the course materials and just in life as well.
I thought asking help was a sign of weakness. However, I think it's a sign of strength and yearning for improvement. It takes guts to admit you're having a hard time.
5. Deprivation Of Own Culture
This one is a bit complicated to explain. I am a person of color, specifically a Filipino American. I go to a college where most of the population is white, and where you can probably count the number of Filipinos on campus on one hand.
I mean, I was used to not having much of my own culture since I grew up in a mostly Latino and African American community. Consequently, I didn't realize my family was giving me my own culture (because I thought we were pretty Americanized) until it college came around. I missed making jokes about my own culture to my family and the food, especially the food.
Well, now I know that I have to bring the culture with me and not hope that it's going to magically appear on campus.
6. Not To Compare Yourself To Others
Like the GIF above explains, I have a terrible habit of comparing myself to others. It's like BAD. Throughout my first year, I constantly compared myself to others. Why are people doing so much better than me? Why am I not like them? Why am I not settling as easy as them?
You shouldn't compare yourself to others because everyone is different. Your experiences are different from theirs, so they might react to something differently compared to how you reacted. That's okay! You don't have to be like them. You can be you, not them.
7. Far Away From Home = Empty Campus
As you may or may not know, my hometown is Chicago, and I go to school all the way in Connecticut. So, I'm FAR away from home. Whenever breaks came around such as Fall and Thanksgiving Break, I was never able to go home because travel was expensive. So, I would have to watch all my friends that lived close by leave me behind. My college campus was EMPTY around those times.
If you're going to be like me, experiencing an abandoned campus, the best advice I can give you is spend time with the people that are here and honestly enjoy the silence. And hey, you might get the dorm to yourself.
8. Be Productive On Breaks
Since we're talking about breaks, let's get real: BE PRODUCTIVE.
For breaks such as Thanksgiving break, you might wanna prioritize those homework and essay assignments your professor gave you. For Winter and Summer breaks, where you don't have to do anything, try to schedule things you can do with friends and family instead of staying indoors. I regret so much wasting my time doing nothing.
9. Accept Change
I experienced a lot of changes my first year. Some of those changes didn't involve with the fact that I'm in a new place and experience. Things such as abilities, friends, and health could change just as unexpected as the transitions to college. When I first faced with such changes, I thought of only of the past.
You simply cannot do that. You have to face change and accept it. Yes, sometimes it sucks. Yet, in the end, you learn a little something about life and even yourself, and that, in its own, rocks.
10. You're Not Alone
No really. You're actually not alone. Yes, you leave your friends and family from home behind, but you also meet new people. Yes, you're experiencing new things and may be reacting to it differently than others. But, it doesn't mean you have to face these things alone.
Things such as the things above don't have to be faced alone. You'll make great friends that will want to help with and experience these things with you.